Camp Nou gradually became empty.
Fans who couldn't bear the humiliation were already leaving one after another; they truly couldn't stay for another second.
It was truly a disgrace!
Real Madrid and Barcelona have always been the main contenders for the La Liga title. Despite their separate locations, their strong performances have led their matches to be called 'El Clásico'.
However, the prestige of this El Clásico is gradually diminishing.
In the past, even in difficult times, Barcelona could still create a lot of trouble for Real Madrid.
They never imagined a day when they would be so thoroughly suppressed by Real Madrid.
Starting from 2009, their matches against Real Madrid seemed to have changed.
From being evenly matched at first to struggling to cope.
During this period, they also went through various stages: struggle, regret, confusion, reorganization, and renewed battle.
But the outcome remained unchanged!
In fact, after continuous failures and losses, they subtly developed a fear of playing such matches.
The second half was the best proof!
Even though they were three goals ahead, after Real Madrid scored their first goal, they completely lost their composure.
From the Head Coach to the players, everyone was at a loss, and no one told them what to do or how to do it specifically.
Everyone's mind was filled with 'What if we're overturned?'
The moment this thought appeared, it meant they were not far from losing.
Xavi forced himself to shake Ramos's hand, which was a way to maintain some dignity.
However, he also didn't want to stay on the field any longer. After shaking hands, he immediately turned and left.
The Real Madrid players also didn't linger on the field but collectively headed into the locker room.
The post-match press conference was about to begin.
This time, a large number of journalists gathered, and they had many questions they wanted to ask.
Enrique almost gritted his teeth coming here. In fact, he really didn't want to attend this post-match summary; it was like putting him on a hot grill.
But no matter what, he still had to come!
Compared to Enrique, Ancelotti appeared much calmer.
He sat in his chair, maintaining his usual composed expression, which contrasted sharply with Enrique's worried face.
"The post-match interview begins," the press officer said in a low tone; "Journalists with questions can now ask!"
He even skipped the Head Coach's speech segment, clearly wanting to end the press conference as soon as possible.
The moment the press officer's words fell, journalists raised their hands one after another, looking incredibly anxious.
The press officer chose a local Catalonia journalist, reasoning that as a local, they wouldn't be too difficult on them.
However, he forgot that the local Barcelona people were fuming at that moment!
"Will someone be held responsible for this match?"
After standing up, the journalist's first words were an angry accusation: "I'm asking from the perspective of a pure fan!"
"First: Why, after leading by three goals in the first half, did the defense completely collapse in the second half like a bursting dam, losing all effectiveness?!"
"Second: Should Barcelona undergo a tactical reorganization? Our tactics haven't changed much, which goes against the rapidly evolving tactical landscape. Have we fallen behind?"
"Third: This match has brought us deep internal damage. It has made every Barcelona fan begin to fear such matches! So, who will take responsibility for this?"
Facing the journalist's sharp questions, Enrique felt overwhelmed.
After a long pause to formulate his words, Enrique finally said helplessly:
"Firstly, as the Head Coach, I bear undeniable responsibility for the loss. We played an excellent half, but we couldn't maintain the score."
"The problems in the second half were multifaceted: tactical, psychological, and even physical. These combined to create that situation."
"Of course, I will not shirk responsibility. I will accept the fans' criticism along with my team, and I will also accept any opinions from the club's senior management!"
Enrique seemed to be giving up!
His words were tantamount to saying, 'Do what you want, I can't do this anymore.'
Even Ancelotti, who was beside him, looked sideways. Was he that blunt?
Seeing the atmosphere become a bit strange, the press officer immediately changed the subject.
"Next is the interview time for Real Madrid Head Coach, Mr. Ancelotti!"
Journalists eagerly raised their hands again.
However, compared to Enrique, Ancelotti received more flowers and applause.
"Since you took over Real Madrid, they have visibly adjusted their form. So far, we are very competitive in the Champions League, League, and cup competitions. Could you briefly discuss this season's goals?"
Facing a question from a Marca journalist, Ancelotti said with a smile:
"It's a bit too early to set goals now. If I set them high, you'll say I'm too ambitious. If I set them low, you'll say I lack ambition!"
Ancelotti waved his hand with a chuckle:
"Let's see the match performance. We are still very confident!"
A British journalist raised his hand and asked: "During the match, a Real Madrid fan made a crown and pointed it at Suker. Does this mean Suker is already the King of Real Madrid?"
Everyone present looked at Ancelotti.
Ancelotti paused for a moment before replying: "Real Madrid is a great club, and the definition of a king is very broad. I believe fans also have their own specific kings in their hearts. So far, there is only one universally recognized king, and that is Mr. Santiago Bernabéu. But for individual fans, Raúl, Zidane, they might also hold the status of king in their hearts."
"Clearly, you want to know if Suker can become a 'King' in the universally recognized sense, but that is not for us to decide. It comes from the fans' heartfelt support and the club's affirmation."
Ancelotti shrugged: "So, I cannot answer your question, but I hope Suker, my dear child, can become even more excellent!"
The interview with Ancelotti was more focused on 'flowers,' and the atmosphere eased considerably.
Soon, the Barcelona press officer ended the interview; they truly couldn't stay for another moment.
After Ancelotti returned to the locker room, he immediately took the players back to Madrid.
They returned overnight, which is basically standard procedure.
Upon arriving in Madrid, Ancelotti did not conduct a post-match summary but instead sent the players home to rest.
After this big match, they achieved a satisfactory result.
Although the process was somewhat winding and there were many areas that needed to be summarized and improved, there was no need to make the players hold a meeting while exhausted.
Suker also returned home early. After a major battle, his body was indeed a bit tired, and his mind, which had been under high tension, immediately relaxed.
After taking another shower, Suker climbed into bed and fell asleep.
The next day, before Suker even went to the training ground, he was called over by Florentino.
"There have been quite a few comments about you recently."
Florentino drank his tea, looking at Suker with a smile.
"There's attention, creating influence. Don't you like this kind of thing?" Suker retorted directly.
Florentino couldn't help but laugh aloud.
He did like it very much.
In an era where traffic was gaining momentum, whoever could seize these opportunities would gain a lot of capital.
And Real Madrid, due to Suker, always managed to attract immense attention, which Florentino would then monetize.
"Many fans say you are the King of Real Madrid." Florentino looked at Suker.
Suker also looked at Florentino: "Being a king or not doesn't matter; it just depends on whether you need it."
Upon hearing this, Florentino revealed a satisfied smile.
Suker always understood things so quickly!
That's right!
Florentino still felt this matter was a bit tricky.
On one hand, the emergence of a contemporary king could potentially strip away some of his influence and pose a threat.
On the other hand, he couldn't bear to lose the widespread buzz and traffic that was currently spreading.
Florentino knew very well that if he handled this matter well, it would definitely be a breaking point.
To completely bind Suker and Real Madrid together, and at the same time combine their influence, pushing them to unprecedented popularity.
Imagine, the contemporary King of Real Madrid—what an immense honor that would be!
Therefore, Suker's stance was very important.
After his words, Florentino could confidently proceed with his plans.
"The official channels cannot give you this title, but I will have people work on promoting it from other angles."
Suker didn't know what Florentino intended to do, but since it was only beneficial and not harmful to him, he nodded.
No sooner had Suker left than Florentino called Casillas over.
"Iker, before you leave, do something for me!"
Casillas looked at Florentino, a hint of helplessness in his eyes.
His departure was already a foregone conclusion.
Dwelling on it now was meaningless.
It was more important to look to the future.
"What do you need me to do?"
Florentino pointed towards the side hall: "A Marca reporter is already there, he will interview you. You can say whatever else you want, just keep it within reason, but during the interview, he will ask you a question, a question about the King of Real Madrid."
Casillas's eyes widened suddenly.
"You want me to…"
Florentino smiled; "This will be good for you."
Casillas gave a bitter smile; just as Florentino said, it was good for him.
This could completely alleviate some of the unpleasantness that had previously occurred between him and Suker.
Florentino was having him personally crown Suker!
Casillas was Real Madrid's former captain; although he was leaving now, his influence and status still remained.
And in the traditional sense, he was indeed a true representative of Real Madrid.
Even Ramos couldn't achieve this!
Therefore, having Casillas do this was equivalent to Real Madrid indirectly acknowledging Suker's status as King.
In fact, Florentino was still very wary.
Otherwise, for maximum exposure, he could have officially crowned Suker, which would undoubtedly electrify the world.
However, if that happened, Suker would truly become uncontrollable!
Suker's influence at Real Madrid was already soaring, and if he were to gain the title of 'King,' it would truly be like adding wings to a tiger.
One day, if he and Suker had a conflict, he might be the one who ended up being purged.
Florentino needed to eliminate these hidden dangers.
Having Casillas handle this matter, although it might slightly reduce the impact, would ultimately achieve the same goal.
As long as the topic was ignited!
Inside Real Madrid's equipment room, training was underway.
The players were sweating profusely, doing various exercises on the equipment.
At this moment, a staff member casually walked over and quietly turned on the television.
Soon, a scene appeared on the television screen.
A segment of Casillas's exclusive interview with Marca.
The players subconsciously turned their heads to look, and Suker also sat on the bench, looking up curiously.
Reporter: "In your heart, what kind of player is Suker?"
Casillas: "You can't imagine that feeling. Since 2009, we have won many honors together. He is a teammate who can give you a sense of security. Even if we are behind, as long as Suker is on the field, we have hope of turning the game around, and he has proven to us again and again that he is trustworthy!"
Reporter: "Can you talk about the conflict between you two?"
Casillas: "It was a misunderstanding. We have already talked it over. He and I are still very good friends, and I believe he will achieve even more brilliant accomplishments at Real Madrid."
Reporter: "Many fans are saying that Suker is the contemporary King. What are your thoughts on this?"
At this point, inside the equipment room, the Real Madrid players froze.
They all put down their equipment and looked at the television.
From time to time, they would also turn to look at Suker!
They weren't sure what was going on, but with Casillas's answer, the meaning of this matter changed.
Suker was also slightly stunned; he hadn't expected Florentino to pull this stunt.
For this matter, he actually brought out Casillas.
But in terms of approach, he really was the most suitable candidate.
Casillas had largely left Real Madrid's core circle, but his status remained!
It was like you weren't a core player, but what you said could still represent Real Madrid.
Of course, his 'representation' was also a matter of Florentino's word.
The equipment room was filled with silence.
Casillas's voice came from the television.
"Since Mr. Santiago Bernabéu passed away, Real Madrid hasn't had a true King for a long time!"
"During my time playing, I also interacted with many excellent players, and they were all outstanding, including Raúl, but no one has ever been like Suker."
"Since Suker joined, everything about us has changed. I think fans are the group that understands this best."
"From the Champions League Round of 16 to winning the Champions League, and even consecutive Champions League titles, in sluggish seasons, Suker has also supported the team with his powerful performances. His fighting spirit, his mentality, everything about him has resonated with Real Madrid!"
"Yes! If there must be one person to wear the crown, that person is Suker!"
A single sentence stirred up a thousand waves!
The entire equipment room erupted in an uproar.
The Real Madrid players were all in an uproar!
Casillas had admitted it; this was a super explosive piece of news.
Although it wasn't an official response, Casillas's identity was special.
Suker had the support of the fan base, coupled with Casillas's endorsement. Although the time was short, the honors were there for all to see.
In this situation, it was practically telling everyone.
Casillas personally placed the crown on Suker's head.
The Real Madrid players looked at Suker differently.
They understood the meaning of this statement very well.
The Suker of the past was already a locker room boss!
But now, he was absolutely the undisputed leader!
There was still a difference between a 'boss' and an 'undisputed leader'!
Previously, there were still some restraints from the Spanish local factions.
But now, in the first team, Suker was unstoppable.
Unless the higher-ups intervened, but if it blew up, it would at least be a painful ordeal.
Ding-dong!
The phone notification sound for a text message.
Suker picked up his phone to check the message.
A text message from Florentino.
"Congratulations! Our King! Let's discuss the contract renewal tomorrow!"
Suker grinned!
This gift was truly too grand, so grand that Suker felt embarrassed to ask for a higher salary in the contract renewal.
It had to be said, this old fox truly utilized every single thing to the extreme.
Casillas's interview caused a global sensation!
The next day, various reports emerged one after another!
"The New King of Bernabéu!"
"Suker Ascends the Throne!"
"Crazy Statement, Suker's Historical Status Will Closely Follow Santiago Bernabéu!"
"The Contemporary King of Real Madrid!"
The media went crazy!
They were hyping this matter, but they didn't expect Casillas to suddenly make such a move.
Moreover, this was an officially organized interview.
Although the club did not appear from beginning to end, this appearance implied that this was the official stance.
For a time, the overall attention reached an unprecedented level.
Suker and King, these two words became synonymous.
The frenzied media naturally wanted to find Suker for interviews, and this time, the enthusiasm was terrifyingly high.
For the interviews, there was even an internal bidding war within the media circle.
The successful bidder could conduct an exclusive interview with Real Madrid!
In addition, Suker's new contract was also released.
Suker continued to renew his contract with Real Madrid, with a slight increase in salary, but a larger portion of his image rights were given to the club.
And once the club obtained these image rights, they immediately launched Suker's promotional activities.
The entire Real Madrid club's publicity department almost revolved around Suker's operations.
Various interviews, endorsements, and show appearances—Real Madrid would not miss any opportunity that could generate buzz.
This matter even overshadowed the Ballon d'Or for a time, becoming the sole mainstream topic across Europe and even the world.
And Suker also benefited from this, with his historical status skyrocketing.
As an individual, Suker already possessed an unparalleled stature!
And now, with Real Madrid, a historic powerhouse, endorsing him.
The combination of the two led to a terrifying surge in influence.